"Hugging with masks on": LGBTQ+ college students’ relationship experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted many LGBTQ+ college students, who already experience minority stressors. In particular, pandemic-related restrictions may have increased stress in LGBTQ+ students’ romantic relationships, particularly for non-cohabiting LGBTQ+ couples. To understand LGBTQ+ students’ romantic relationship experiences at the start of the pandemic, when pandemic-related restrictions decreased opportunity for face-to-face interaction, we considered relationship experiences (relationship dissolution, in-person and virtual interactions, and changes in sexual behavior) in a sample of LGBTQ+ college students (N = 444; 36.49% non-cohabiting) in the U.S. Participants completed an online survey during April and May, 2020, while their university was still in session. Findings indicated that relationship dissolution due to the pandemic was relatively rare. Roughly half of non-cohabiting students saw their partner in person and the majority who did considered their partner an exception to social distancing. Of students who saw their partner in person, a majority engaged in entertainment activities. Non-cohabiting students were more likely to experience decreased frequency in multiple sexual behaviors with their romantic partners compared to cohabiting students. Overall, results highlight the relationship experiences of non-cohabiting LGBTQ+ students early in the pandemic, and showcase how students continued to find ways to connect with their partner despite pandemic-related restrictions. reviewed acceptedVersion